For and against gifts for Teachers.

[boffy]

Julius: my apologies for the typo of your name. I am so sorry that your experience of Eton was very different to my son's. However, I have to take issue with you! You did not squander your time there as you are:articulate, write well and with conviction (I always enjoy reading your posts) and are able to reflect seriously on your life experiences.

Back to QVC and 'gifting': since when did this awful word creep into presenter parlance?!

christmas qvc and the mad selling frenzy called cosumerism

 

[Bettyboo]

Sounds like a fairytale childhood to me which has obviously continued into adulthood.

 

[lizmir]

I am a teacher and i watch the suggestions for teachers' presents with such jealousy - last week it was a small L'Occitane hand cream that would look lovely next to a bottle of champagne. I am SO JEALOUS!!! I, and most people in my school are lucky when we get a card!! Where do these people work, let me know I want a job in those schools.

 

[Elphaba]

Julius and Marymo, Thank you for sharing. I have a meeting today at Parliament regarding Education and I am going to comment on teachers gifts.

At present the age children can be left alone needs strict guidelines and a debate should be heard to determine the views of the House.

 

[Akimbo]

Hi and welcome to the madhouse lizmir! I have lots of teachers in my family and the gift thing seems a fairly recent thing. When my kids were at first school (infants) there was a movement towards giving presents which I resisted. When I helped out for the summer fair much of the smelly candle stall was donated from the teachers' gift stash...I stuck to my guns and only sent a thank you card as each child left to go to middle school.

 

[boffy]

in the 1960's my parents used to give presents to the teachers...as a parent and now a grandparent i have never given any teachers a gift

 

[May]

Ok I think its lovley but ......a five pound limit should be set .....

 

[Brissles]

Surely it's up the individual concerned. If a parent wants to give a gift to his child's teacher then he's perfectly entitled to do so, regardless of the motive. And if said parent has some inferiority complex which necessitates trying to 'outdo' the other parents then that's going to be a nice bonus for the teacher! I think people find it easy to slate teachers and drop the whole 'nurses and firemen don't get presents so why should teachers'. However, you're (hopefully) only going to see a nurse very occasionally and a fireman never. Your child's teacher is someone who will probably spend more time with your child than anyone else - even the parents! So it's a slightly different relationship.

I can't necessarily agree with this, as surely a child has more than one teacher throughout their formative years. If I remember rightly I had 11 Form teachers throughout my infant, junior and senior years, that's without all the specialist subject tutors. To buy a present for each of that lot my parents would have needed the finances of the Beckams' !!!

We all need teachers, agreed; but we also need undertakers too, and I wonder how many of those are given choccys, smellies, and vouchers for M & S !!!!!

 

[Julius]

On the whole I think teachers probably do deserve gifts, so long as they're not given to bolster a superior image. Unfortunately many people do give gifts for the wrong reasons just as they drive the wrong car for the wrong reasons. Many teachers give up their own time and go beyond the call of duty to help. That can be said of certain beaks at Eton with their "evening business" as it is referred to, to teachers in ordinary comps.

It's not just Christmas when parents show off. What about harvest festival? Oh my GOODNESS, the elaborate ears of wheat, the fronds of oat flakes, the cottage loaves, hedgehog-shaped loaves, exotic fruits. It should matter if a child gives a tin of Smart Price peaches, but some parents don't see it that way.

 

[Bunnytown]

It was something that happened when my children were in infant/primary school - and it is also the time when you are least likely to be working fulltime or have any money. I think it should be banned as it is just another pressure on those who are struggling - and if you're not then it's just showing off and making other parents feel bad. A bit like expensive birthday parties for toddlers.

 

[Akimbo]

It was something that happened when my children were in infant/primary school - and it is also the time when you are least likely to be working fulltime or have any money. I think it should be banned as it is just another pressure on those who are struggling - and if you're not then it's just showing off and making other parents feel bad. A bit like expensive birthday parties for toddlers.

I think you're right and if you want to send a thank you card, then fair enough.

When I was 9 our teacher's husband died suddenly and we had a whip round and the class bought her a bar of Galaxy when when came back, to cheer her up but she burst into tears and we couldn't quite understand if we'd done something wrong at first. If your child wants to take their teacher a home-made something and it's their idea to do so then that's fine but parents shouldn't push them to take in a gift just to keep up appearances. Once it starts to get competitive and out of hand maybe a ban is the best solution.

 

[JR's Ego]

Interesting BBC Article

Opinions from across The Pond

 

[murgatroyd]

I think that if a professional person has given you service over & above what would normally be expected - taken a special interest, made a special effort, then it is fine to buy them a small gift to thank them. The trouble is, people are like sheep & if they see one person has given a gift, they think that they should too. Best to encourage children to think for themselves, not follow the herd!

 

[May]

We used to take chrysanthenumns (spelt it wrong) at the beginning of term ..I started school in 1968 ....I clearly remember doing this ...but that was it .....

 

[Bettyboo]

I think that if a professional person has given you service over & above what would normally be expected - taken a special interest, made a special effort, then it is fine to buy them a small gift to thank them. The trouble is, people are like sheep & if they see one person has given a gift, they think that they should too. Best to encourage children to think for themselves, not follow the herd!

why a 'professional' person? What about the man sweeping the streets or the lady on the supermarket checkout or the person serving in the local chippy. They all perform a service for which they receive payment.

 

[Akimbo]

It makes more sense, to me, to give a present to someone who doesn't get paid for what they do; all those volunteers who keep society afloat with their contribution which kind of gets taken for granted by the establishment.

off my soapbox now! :mysmilie_365:

 

[Vienna]

I think Head Teachers should take the lead and most schools regularly send out letters updating parents on school events or announcements etc and a small paragraph asking parents not to give individual gifts to teachers but saying the school will be donating items to the local Salvation Army Christmas toy appeal, or a homeless hostel or local food bank or whatever and each teacher would be happy to collect small items from those who wish to donate. That way parents get to show their appreciation and other people benefit.

 

[murgatroyd]

By professional person, I include anyone doing their job to a high, professional standard. I buy a small Christmas present for my hairdresser, who visits me at home & is always very reliable, my postman who I like to have a chat with & who is always friendly & my mobile librarian, who is a volunteer.

 

[Brissles]

I think Head Teachers should take the lead and most schools regularly send out letters updating parents on school events or announcements etc and a small paragraph asking parents not to give individual gifts to teachers but saying the school will be donating items to the local Salvation Army Christmas toy appeal, or a homeless hostel or local food bank or whatever and each teacher would be happy to collect small items from those who wish to donate. That way parents get to show their appreciation and other people benefit.

The best and most sensible 'post' yet !

 

[Elphaba]

It makes more sense, to me, to give a present to someone who doesn't get paid for what they do; all those volunteers who keep society afloat with their contribution which kind of gets taken for granted by the establishment.

off my soapbox now! :mysmilie_365:

I work for a voluntary organisations Justice For Families and Parents Against INjustice and we receive no pay apart from expenses- childcare when I am representing people at court, travel, etc.